Sour Cream Panna Cotta with Fresh Apricot & Amaretto Sauce

This is my first attempt in making something that I wouldn't usually make. I picked panna cotta, because I've only make it once. The one time that I made it before, it was NOT good. I like to call it, milk jello, because that's what it was. Ever since then, I've avoided panna cotta. Actually, I'm not a fan of any dessert that has gelatin in it. (It smells bad - bones & stuff.)

I told myself I was going to pick desserts that were more challenging, however, panna cotta is not. It's a very simple dessert to prepare in no time at all. You simply dissolve gelatin in some water, heat a bit of cream and sugar over the stove, add the cream to the gelatin, then add whatever flavoring you want - such as sour cream, yogurt, extracts, etc. The mixture then is divided into ramekins and chilled until firm.

Surprisingly, I enjoyed panna cotta this time time around. It was nice and creamy, cold, and rich. The gelatin still bothers me a bit, though, because it makes everything so jiggly.
I made an apricot sauce (no - that's not egg yolk), using fresh apricots and amaretto, that was delicious. I was trying to pick a fruit that I don't usually use. I think apricots are in season. In California, anyway. And I used amaretto because...well, it's good.
Any fruit sauce would be delicious with this. Strawberries and balsamic are a classic accompaniment.

Sour Cream Panna Cotta with Fresh Apricot & Amaretto Sauce (Recipe by Me)
Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons cold water
1 1/2 teaspoons gelatin
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus an additional 3 tablespoons, divided use
2/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup amaretto liqueur
1 lb. fresh apricots, peeled, pitted, thinly sliced

Place 2 tablespoons cold water in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over water, and allow to sit for one minute; stir until dissolved.

Whisk together cream and 1/3 cup sugar, in a large saucepan over medium heat. When mixture is hot, but not boiling, whisk cream into gelatin, until well combined. Whisk in sour cream and vanilla until well combined. Divide mixture into 4 ramekins. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours, or until ready to serve.

To make the apricot sauce, whisk together the additional 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 cup water and amaretto, in a medium sized saucepan, over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Stir in apricots, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Transfer apricot mixture to a food processor, and process until smooth. Place in a small mixing bowl, cover, and chill until cold - about an hour or two.

Dip the bottoms of ramekins in a little hot water. Run a knife around ramekin edges, and invert panna cotta onto serving plates. Drizzle with apricot sauce.

Yield: 4 servings